FAIRFIELD, Conn.- The FDU Knights (6-5) out dueled the SHU Piooneers (6-7) in a non-conference matchup. Outside hitter
Dylan McFadden logged his 500th career kill in the outing, helping lift the Knights past the Pioneers. FDU played well in the final sets of the game, winning the final two sets in thrilling fashion.
Rayjan Suarez Palacios helped move FDU ahead 2-1 early in the first set, recording a kill and service ace. The teams remained in a tight contest until SHU put together a three point run to pass the Knights, leading 11-8. FDU responded with two quick points before the Pioneers strung together an 8-1 run over FDU. SHU extended their lead 20-12.
The Squads exchanged points for the remainder of the set, with FDU unable to tear down the SHU lead. A kill from
Eli Nelson and a service ace by
Brandon Pho gave FDU momentum into the second set as the Knights fell 25-22.
With the score tied at 2-2, the home squad gave up three points off errors, putting the Knights ahead 5-2. While the pioneers made an attempt to respond, FDU continued to roll with a six point streak.
Jamal Ellis played a key role in the run, logging a kill and service ace during the streak. The Knights were also the beneficiaries of three attacking errors by SHU. The Knights led 14-6 before the Pioneers took five more points to cut the Knights' lead to 14-11.
Following an opposing attacking error, Ellis laid down two kills to extend the FDU lead 21-14. SHU mounted another five point run to come within two, 21-19. Biro fired off the final kill of the set, as FDU won 25-21.
SHU jumped out 4-1 before surrendering a pair of errors to keep FDU within one, 4-3. The teams continued their back-and-forth play, trading points until SHU found their footing with a four point burst, taking an 11-8 lead. Ellis and
Vinil Shah had kills to break up two point bursts by SHU, keeping the score within three, 14-11.
As SHU began to pull away, three errors put the Knights within striking distance, 22-19. Shah logged back-to-back kills late to bring the score to 24-22 in favor of SHU, before the Pioneers ended the set 25-22.
The set began with
Dylan McFadden tying the game at 3-3 with his 500th career kill. The Knights took the next three points to win 6-3. SHU began to answer with two kills, before McFadden struck again to stall the opposing run.
With the score tied at seven points each way, four Knights were involved in a five kill run for FDU, with Suarez Palacios starting the run and landing two kills during the spurt. Ellis, Pho, and Shah were the other Knights involved in putting FDU ahead 12-7. Each team alternated points until SHU capitalized on three FDU errors, bringing themselves within one, 20-19.
FDU responded with a Kill from Ellis to put them back ahead by two. The final three FDU points came off Pioneer blunders as the Knights took the set 25-21.
Neither squad was able to carve out a substantial lead in the early goings. Shah logged FDU's first two kills to keep the score tied. The score continued to be close, before Suarez Palacios and Shah climbed up for a critical block. Ellis followed up the effort, landing a kill causing the teams to switch sides. FDU led 8-7.
After the switch, SHU fired off four unanswered points, leading 11-8. Paniotis Kourmouzos revived FDU, spurring a six point run which featured two Ellis Kills. Shu once again tied the score with a three point run.
Shah put the Knights ahead for good on the next point, followed by Ellis capping off his night with the game winning kill. FDU took set five 16-14.
The Knights have their first weekend of NEC play, facing Manhattan on March 6 at 7 p.m. and March 7 at 1 p.m. Both games will have coverage on NEC Front Row.
